Phone help for quitters as prices rise

Many people who give up cite 'family' as their reason for quitting. Photo / Richard Robinson

Quitline, the stop-smoking advice service, has rostered staff on today in anticipation of a surge in inquiries triggered by higher taxes and New Year resolutions.

The state-funded service's telephone advisers, who do not usually work on Saturdays, will be on duty to help people determined to quit.

The same thing happened in May after the Government increased the overall tobacco excise by 10 per cent, and bumped up the loose :roll your own" tobacco tax by 14 per cent.

Then, about 4000 smokers registered with Quitline, nearly double the number of the previous May.

Today, the excise rises by 10 per cent, as the second of three big jumps in the tax. There is also a smaller, annual inflation-based tax increase and smokers, like all consumers, were caught by the GST rise in October. The excise rises by a further 10 per cent next January.

Today the price of a packet of 25 cheaper cigarettes is expected to rise to more than $16, from around $14.60.

Quit Group chief executive Paula Snowden said Quitline advisers would be available today from 10am to 9.30pm to offer support to people who want to stop smoking.

"Those who use support are up to five times more likely to succeed than going it alone.

"Eighty per cent of smokers wished they'd never started smoking and we expect the January tax jump will be a trigger for many to quit."

Quitline's service has been limited over the holiday period, but it will also be open tomorrow and on the public holidays on Monday and Tuesday.

Callers can obtain on how to stop smoking and, if they wish, can set a date on which they intend to quit and can be posted further quitting information.

By phone or on the internet, clients can order an eight-week supply of state-subsidised nicotine replacement therapy - gum, lozenges or patches - which they can obtain at a pharmacy with a co-payment of $3.

Using these aids can double a person's chances of quitting.

When Quitline was swamped with calls after the April 28 tax rise, the quitting rate, three weeks after starting a quit attempt, was 29 per cent. This was lower than the 36 per cent rate in May 2009, but the actual number of quitters in May this year was higher.

Those who cited "family" as their main reason for stopping had the highest quit rate at 43 per cent, while "cost of tobacco" was well down the list at 27 per cent, behind "health".

BURNING MONEY

* 10 per cent tax rise last May.

* 10 per cent tax rise today.

* $16 for 25 of the cheapest cigarettes from today.

QUITLINE

0800 778 778 and www.quit.org.nz